Senior Pentagon officials arrive in Kyiv for talks on ending war - media

Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll and Chief of Staff Randy George have arrived in Kyiv on an unannounced visit, where they will hold meetings with the Ukrainian military and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Politico reports.

"Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll and Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George became the highest-ranking Pentagon officials under Trump to visit Ukraine when they arrived on an unannounced visit this week as the United States tries to find a way to speed up the end of the war," the publication’s website said.

It is reported that starting on November 19, they will hold a series of meetings - with Ukrainian military leaders, parliamentarians and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. "The visit comes at a time when Russia has intensified its missile and drone campaign against civilian targets in Ukraine, and Western allies are trying to find new ways to continue supplying weapons to the embattled country," the publication notes.

Army Secretary Driscoll and Chief of Staff George are the highest-ranking Defense Department officials to visit Ukraine under Trump.

The trip is reportedly focused on engaging with Ukrainian leaders on the stalled peace process with Russia, although Moscow has rejected previous U.S. and Ukrainian attempts to halt hostilities. The U.S. and Ukraine are also working on a major deal to share drone technology and autonomous munitions, and the trip is partly intended to support that effort. “Ukraine has become a leader in developing — and improving — long- and short-range combat drones that have changed the face of the battlefield and struck targets deep inside Russia,” the publication said.

The trip was described by two people familiar with the planning, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive national security matters.

"At first blush it would seem an unusual choice to send Driscoll, the Army secretary, to Kyiv on a sensitive peace mission. But the Army vet and Yale law school friend of Vice President JD Vance has emerged as a major figure in the Pentagon and could now be moving into a more prominent role," Politico said.